About – Shalaka Kulkarni

Shalaka Kulkarni is a budding marketing professional. Currently works with Brillio and manages global communications and employer branding.

A whirlwind of crazy chaos, short stories and long conversations she is. This blog is dedicated to her short stories and poems.

Happy Reading! 🙂

shalakulkarni

CARPE DIEM ~ This year was indeed an eldritch one,

Arbedjsglæde ~ a Danish term that indicates work

Arbedjsglæde ~ a Danish term that indicates work happiness. I take immense pride in what I do and yes, I love formals from the bottom of my heart.

Had gone to office for a day. And got awarded as Employee of the Quarter for the second time in a row. Fulfilling, I must say!

Dec 18, 2020. :')

shaam-e-firaaq/शाम-ए-फ़िराक़

shaam-e-firaaq/शाम-ए-फ़िराक़ ~ the evening/night of separation in urdu 🤍

// शाम-ए-फ़िराक़ अब न पूछ आई और आके टल गई
दिल था के फिर बहल गया, जाँ थी के फिर सम्भल गई...
// shaam-e-firaaq ab na pooch, aayi aur aa ke tal gayi
dil tha ke phir bahal gaya, jaan thi ke phir sambhal gayi... - Faiz Ahmed Faiz

Translation: query not my lonely night, it came and went away
The heart was consoled and life, yet again, managed not to fray...

#diwali2020 #diwali #shayari #bnw #urdu #poetry #black #blacklove #ethnic #urdupoetry #deepawali #india #festival #lights #eyes #beauty #monochrome

plutitoare ~ it's a floating world of art and muse

plutitoare ~ it's a floating world of art and museums
where you can't read my first language
but can pronounce my name right,
better than most of my countrymen

I had no idea about Leu
and why would someone have
ten denim jackets
to create a 60s vibe, so blue

you're like the bengaluru sunsets
and things are unusual but beautiful
beautiful, nonetheless

it's a floating world where I see you
over a screen in a text

with at least a colon with eight parentheses
seventeen back to back notifications
winning over the distances

grumpy thy exclamations
hushing my punctuations

filling up the finger spaces
and
completing
my
sentences.

plutitoare ~ floating in Romanian
prompt: float

#inktober #inktober2020 #inktoberprompts #inktoberday28 #writerscommunity #writersofindia #writersofig #writing #writer #writersofinstagram #poetsofinstagram #poetryisnotdead #romania #poetrycommunity #poemsporn #poetry #love #poetrywriting #poet #distance #lovepoem #bangalore #bengaluru #sunset #skyporn #wordporn #photography @theartletpoetry @silverleafpoetry @bymepoetryindia

berceuse ~ Bengaluru's autumn is light years away

berceuse ~ Bengaluru's autumn
is light years away
from october heat

It's been raining
elephants and rhinos
since a week

should I go,
teach the sky
how to count sheep

or sing a lullaby
for the clouds instead
and put them to sleep!?

Prompt: sleep

berceuse ~ a lullaby

#inktober #inktober2020 #inktoberprompts #inktoberday21 #writerscommunity #writersofindia #writersofig #writing #writer #writersofinstagram #poetsofinstagram #poetryisnotdead #poetrycommunity #poemsporn #poetry #poetrywriting #poet #bangalorediaries #verseoftheday #rain #rains #wordporn @theartletpoetry @silverleafpoetry @bymepoetryindia

Comity ~ I wrapped my lunch with a call from a Mum

Comity ~ I wrapped my lunch with a call from a Mumbai based phone number. "Am I talking to Shakala Kulkarni?" I wanted to say no, it's Shalaka but I said, "Yes!" while thinking of a million dollars I'd have earned if I had got one everytime someone pronounced my name wrong.

He had learnt his pitch by heart. "Thank you, Ma'am. I'm calling from the XYZ store in Mumbai. This festive season, we have launched a premium pass to avoid billing queues. You can also use our app, get a virtual tour, try our products at home..." His pitch train went on for a minute or two.

I was actively "hmmm-ing". He asked if I'd be interested. I politely said I don't live in Mumbai anymore. He was disappointed, but responded with gaiety saying, "no worries ma'am, please share this with your friends & family in Mumbai!"

I said I definitely will. "I appreciate this dedication and the firm should be proud to have an employee like him. Take care, and happy Navratri!" "You, too Ma'am, Thank you!"

Whenever I choose to answer unknown numbers, I ensure I don't hang up on anyone's face. I listen to all cold calls, may it be for bank loans or contact lenses. Not because I'm a marketer but because 2020 has been a storm, which is not willing to pass.

When my house-help informs me with signs to not disturb my business calls, I ensure that I thank her before closing the door. Every single day. Whenever I go out, I wave or ask the gatekeeper, "how have you been?"

My parents taught me that these are tiny gestures embodying a lot of warmth, at the age of three. It started with addressing house-helps as aunts and saluting back at security guards. And I can't thank them enough.

Today, everyone is trying hard to sustain, mourning someone's loss. Everyone is trying hard to do their best and save their jobs. This is the year which woke us up, and taught us a thousand things. The most important being - that there is strength in empathy.

And I hope it stays.
Comity ~ courtesy and considerate behaviour towards others.

Prompt: storm
#inktober #inktober2020 #inktober #inktoberday17 #writerscommunity #writersofindia #writersofig #shortstory #story #empathy #warmth #care #2020 #pandemic #covid_19

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